Where would you rank the love theme to Wind and the Lion comparative to other Goldsmith love themes?

I remember someone here (As Khan would say, I never forget a face... but names certainly) once mentioning that he felt that the love theme was the weakest of the Wind and the Lion score. But I don't agree. The love theme in the score is one of the best love themes and it gets more touching the more times that it heard in the score (certainly by the ending, it makes an impact).

I'd certainly rate it pretty highly, although I'm not the biggest fan of Goldsmith in romantic mode. He could get a bit mushy (all that heart-on-sleeve stuff such as RUDY - which isn't even a Love Theme as such - is dangerous for diabetics), and I find some of the melodies a little awkward, even from within my favourite Goldsmith period. Sort of bordering on the banal. Having said that, I do "love" the "love themes" from THE BLUE MAX, THE OMEN, LOGAN'S RUN, CHINATOWN.... plus there are beautiful little romantic themes in less well-known scores such as BREAKOUT. All of those share a kind of tender, subtle "trill" on the strings which is just gorgeous.

But I find a more profound sense of... humanity perhaps (?) in the Goldsmith scores which don't even have a Love Theme, such as THE ILLUSTRATED MAN.

"Love theme" is a commercialized and cliched term of limited utility. In this film, for example, the two characters move from anger to a degree of mutual respect and gratitude. But there is no question of an erotic attraction. By the way, the original "Eden Pedicaris" was a man! Credit the filmmakers at least some restraint in their re-imagining of the event.

..... I'm not the biggest fan of Goldsmith in romantic mode. He could get a bit mushy (all that heart-on-sleeve stuff such as RUDY - which isn't even a Love Theme as such - is dangerous for diabetics), and I find some of the melodies a little awkward, even from within my favourite Goldsmith period.

There's a broken, tragic feel to his Love Theme from MAGIC, which I really dig. WIND & THE LION is much more lush and dare I say, old-fashioned. Nowt wrong with that though, both make for great listening.

Saw this film in Vancouver in the Summer of '75. Literally one of the most epic, romantic periods of my life. The entire score served as it's soundtrack. The Love Theme is #1 in my Goldsmith list of such.

To KevinSmith re: "The love theme in the score [for THE WIND AND THE LION] is one of the best love themes and it gets more touching the more times that it heard in the score....

I beg to differ! It is certainly lesser than the lyrical melodies that Goldsmith created for many other films, such as ISLANDS IN THE STREAM, RUDY, CHINATOWN, MASADA, LIONHEART, and especially THE SAND PEBBLES -- I adore "Getting Acquainted," with the melody that became the song "And We Were Lovers" sung so memorably by Matt Monro. And let's not forget the achingly beautiful "Ilia's Theme" from "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which is wonderful. So I don't feel that the cue you cite from "The Wind And The Lion" comes anywhere near many other far more gorgeous melodies written by the great Jerry Goldsmith.

A movie about a terrorist kidnapping and the strange rapport that develops between the warlord and his hostages -- and more importantly the long-distance parallel between the warlord and President Theodore Roosevelt. The whole thing done in a "mixed" style that blends old-fashioned adventure and present-day jingoism -- possibly with tongue in cheek.

The real question should be: Is this music really a "love theme" (to use the cliche term) and if so, why is such a theme appropriate here?

A movie about a terrorist kidnapping and the strange rapport that develops between the warlord and his hostages -- and more importantly the long-distance parallel between the warlord and President Theodore Roosevelt. The whole thing done in a "mixed" style that blends old-fashioned adventure and present-day jingoism -- possibly with tongue in cheek.

The real question should be: Is this music really a "love theme" (to use the cliche term) and if so, why is such a theme appropriate here?

I beg to differ! It is certainly lesser than the lyrical melodies that Goldsmith created for many other films, such as ISLANDS IN THE STREAM, RUDY, CHINATOWN, MASADA, LIONHEART, and especially THE SAND PEBBLES

I must beg to differ, Ron! I think you must remember what the so-called "love theme" does in THE WIND AND THE LION. It is also a theme of lose of innocence and of remembrance.

The entire score of THE WIND AND THE LION is one of Goldsmith's greatest accomplishments. How many here would even be mentioning the movie if not for Goldsmith's score.

I think Goldsmith did great, flowing ROMANTIC themes, usually infused with a feeling of a quest being undertaken, or with an undercurrent of foreboding or mystery. But when it comes to genuine LOVE themes, he seems to me as convincing as John Wayne would be doing a tender, smooching bedroom scene – just some wooden going-through-the-motions stuff until he gets back to the action he does best.

Listening to it again just now, I stand by my original assessment, that if one wants to rate Goldsmith's "love themes" on some (probably pointless) scale, it isn't even in the top 10. But I'm happy that several here seem to adore it more than those others I originally cited. Good for you. As I continue to repeat, music is probably the most subjective of the arts and NONE of us react to it precisely the same.